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Nursing

Introduction

Nurses are respected, highly skilled health professionals who really make a difference to people’s lives. As a nurse, you will have the privilege of helping to save lives as well as holding the hand of a scared patient, easing their pain or providing them with the information they need to improve their health. The rewards of such work are immeasurable and the career options diverse. Nurses work in a wide variety of settings on every continent, from hospitals to schools to cruise ships. They work in busy emergency departments, they jump out of helicopters as members of retrieval teams and they care for those at that beginning or the end of their lives. Nurses are men and women who care, support and advise people with health concerns. The study of nursing encompasses a knowledge base that prepares graduates to deliver holistic care to all who require it. Nursing includes the study of core nursing skills and knowledge as well as bioethics, the legal basis of nursing practice, biological sciences, therapeutic communication, health promotion, education and nursing leadership.

An international shortage of skilled nurses means that graduates of nursing courses are in high demand and the remuneration packages available are attractive and competitive. If you have ever thought about pursuing a career in nursing, now is the time, you will never look back!

There are two levels of nurses recognised in Australia: the Enrolled Nurse (also called the Division 2 Nurse in Victoria) and the Registered Nurse.
An Enrolled Nurse works under the direction and supervision of a Registered Nurse to provide patient-centred care. The National Competency Standards for Enrolled Nurses can be found here.
 Registered Nurses practise independently and interdependently assuming accountability and responsibility for their own actions and delegation of care to Enrolled Nurses and health care workers. The National Competency Standards for Registered Nurses can be found here.

 Link to The UNE/HNE/UN Nursing Journal current edition.

Why study Nursing at UNE?

UNE has been at the forefront of nurse education longer than any other university in Australia and we are proud to offer our new flexible undergraduate course that leads to two nursing qualifications as an Enrolled Nurse and also as a Registered Nurse. In addition, UNE also offers a distance education course for Enrolled Nurses who wish to become Registered Nurses as well as a number of exciting and clinically relevant post-graduate courses which are designed to equip nurses to work in a wide variety of settings and roles.
Please click on courses for more detailed information about the exciting Bachelor of Nursing  at UNE.

Courses

The new flexible undergraduate nursing curriculum at UNE is offered full-time, on-campus over four or six semesters of study and  will be offered part-time, with external study options from 2009 (subject to NMB, NSW approval). There are a number of entry and exit points, which allow students to make choices regarding their academic and professional career options.
This means that after two years of fulltime study students have the option of exiting with an Advanced Diploma in Nursing and starting their nursing career as an Enrolled Nurse.
After a further year of fulltime study students will graduate with a Bachelor of Nursing and can start their nursing career as a Registered Nurse.

Prospective students who are already Endorsed Enrolled Nurses can enter the course at the beginning of 2nd year and study for two years fulltime or 4 yrs part-time, via on-campus or external mode to become Registered Nurses. A number of very attractive scholarships are available (see the link under additional information) to support nursing students through their studies. Our graduates are well prepared for the professional challenges that they will face in health care because they are critical thinkers who value evidence as the basis of practice.

Interview entry criteria information

Interview entry criteria for the Bachelor of Nursing/Advanced Diploma in Nursing course

Please read the following information:

Introduction
The current undergraduate entry criteria are provided in the UNE Course and Unit Catalogue.
From 2009, and pending final approval from the Nurses & Midwives Board of NSW, a change has been introduced that will create another entry criterion, which is to attend a structured interview with a panel of UNE nursing academics to determine aptitude for tertiary level study and commitment to entering the nursing profession.

Please note: Only students who do not meet the other entry criteria will be eligible to have an interview. It is anticipated, based on previous unsuccessful applications for entry to UNE, that students who do not quite meet the UAI score, or those have successfully completed some types of trade or TAFE based qualifications, will now have the opportunity to commence an undergraduate nursing course if they are deemed suitable following an interview. The interview pathway entry will only allow for entry at the beginning of the course.

Interview Information
Two rounds of interviews will be conducted in Armidale for 2009 entry.
FIRST ROUND: 12 December 2008
SECOND ROUND: 22 January 2009
Applicants who choose to enter via this criterion must fill out an application form and post or fax it to the address listed on the form.
Applicants need to note that telephone interviews are not possible.

Application for interview download

For further enquiries please contact:
Dr Penny Paliadelis
Email: ppaliade@une.edu.au
PH: 02 6773 3653

New students to UNE apply to study on-campus through UAC or QTAC

Former or current students apply to study on-campua directly to UNE using the undergaduate admission form. This course is only available on-campus (internal)
http://www.une.edu.au/for/current-students/forms/ug-admission-info.php 

Enrolled Nurse to Registered Nurse study options at UNE

Endorsed enrolled nurses can study on-campus or externally, full time or part-time, for 2 or 4 years respectively to become an RN.

Scholarships for UNE Nursing Students

27 SCHOLARSHIPS FOR UNE NURSING STUDENTS

Applications for most of these scholarships need to go in by June to November this year for next year. Some go in January next year. Apply for NSW Health Clinical Placement Grants in April and November. Scholarships may pay for 1, 2 or 3 years and you can reapply each year. To avoid disappointment apply for several scholarships and if you succeed with more than one, choose the best one for you and decline the others (given to the next applicants in line). All of the scholarships listed below require that you are a permanent resident of Australia, except the AusAID Australian Development Scholarship for international students.

Royal College of Nursing Australia Scholarships http://www.rcna.org.au/site/scholarships.php
Puggy Hunter Aboriginal Scholarship $15,000 pa for 3 years. Apply by 31 August for next year.
Aged Care Nursing Scholarship $10,000 pa for up to 3 years. Apply by 31 August for next year.
Rural & Remote Scholarship $10,000 pa full time (or $5,000 pa pt). Apply by 31 August for next year.

NSW Health Nursing Scholarships http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/nursing/undergrad.html
Rural Undergraduate Scholarship $8000 1 year. Apply by 30 November for next year.
Aboriginal Undergraduate Scholarship $4000 per semester. Apply by 30 June & 30 Nov for next year.
Rural and Metropolitan Clinical Placement Grants $500 per semester. Apply by 30 April & 30th Nov.

Rotary Rural Nursing Scholarship  http://www.arhrf.org.au http://www.arhrf.org.au/sub1.asp?pageName=Rural%20Nursing%20Applications
Australian Rotary Health Research Fund $2,500 for final year clinical. Apply by 27 July for next year.
To complete 3rd year major clinical placement and graduating year in a rural or remote hospital.

NSW Nurses' Association Scholarship http://www.nswnurses.asn.au/infopages/2768.html
Edith Cavell Trust Scholarship $4,400 for 1 year. Join the Association free. Apply by 31 July for next year.

NSW Nurses and Midwives Board Scholarships for Enrolled Nurses and Post-Graduate Nurses
http://www.nmb.nsw.gov.au/Scholarships/default.aspx
Final Year Scholarship for ENs completing BN (Fund: HECS + res school travel, accom, sust). Apply by 31 Dec for next year.

Australian Commonwealth Scholarships
http://www.une.edu.au/scholarships/undergraduate/joblink-plus-nursing.php
Joblink Plus Nursing Scholarship $5,000 pa 2 years. Apply by 31 January for the same year.
http://www.une.edu.au/scholarships/undergraduate/cweducationcosts.php
Commonwealth Education Costs Scholarship $2,207 pa 4 years. Apply by 30 Sept (date may be extended).
http://www.une.edu.au/scholarships/undergraduate/cwaccommodation.php
Commonwealth Accommodation Scholarship $4,415 pa 4 years. Apply by 30 Sept (date may be extended).
http://www.une.edu.au/oorala/scholar2.htm
Indigenous Access/Accommodation/Costs Scholarships $4,166,  4 years. Apply by 30 Sept (may be extended).

Regional Scholarships
http://www.une.edu.au/scholarships/undergraduate/inverellunecountrynursing.php
Inverell Shire/UNE Country Scholarship for Nursing $5,000 pa 3 years. Apply by 30 September.
http://www.une.edu.au/scholarships/undergraduate/adunecountry.php
Armidale District UNE Country Scholarship $2,500  pa 3 years. Apply by 30 September.

UNE Scholarships http://www.une.edu.au/scholarships/undergraduate
UNE Country Equity Scholarship $5,500 pa 3 years. Apply by late September for next year.
UNE Country Scholarship $5,000 pa 3 years. Apply by late September for next year.
Annie & Terry Connor ATSI Scholarship $5,000 pa 3 years. Apply by late September for next year.
Bernard Coffey Scholarship $6,000 pa 3 years. Apply by late September for next year.
Earle Page Anniversary UNE Country Scholarship $5000 pa 3 years. Apply by late September for next year.
CWA Earle Page College Equity Scholarship $2000 1 year. Apply by late  September.
Jim Pollard Prize $1500 1 year. Apply by 31 January for the same year.
UNE Colleges Undergraduate Scholarships $1000-$1500 1 year’s fees. Apply by late  September for next year.
UNE Colleges Sports Scholarships $1000 1 year’s fees. Apply by 30 September for next year.
The Spotless/College Scholarship One year’s fees in Austin, EP, MW or Robb College. Apply by late Sept.

AusAID Scholarships http://www.ausaid.gov.au/scholar/studyin.cfm
Australian Development Scholarship $20,007 pa 3 years + airfares. Apply by 30 September for next year.
For international students from eligible Pacific, South East Asian and African countries.

For HECS-HELP and Student Loans information see: http://www.goingtouni.gov.au. For Youth Allowance or Austudy for full-time students aged 25 and over contact Centrelink Youth and Student Services http://www.centrelink.gov.au ph:13 24 90. For ABSTUDY for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander students contact www.centrelink.gov.au, ph:13 23 17.

Postgraduate nursing courses

Why study a (post) graduate certificate or diploma in Acute Care Nursing at UNE

These distance education courses for Registered Nurses will enable nurses to extend their skills and expertise in providing advanced, specialist education and knowledge in perioperative, trauma and critical care nursing. Both the Graduate Certificate and Graduate Diploma in Acute Care Nursing are organised in two speciality streams, with students choosing to focus either on perioperative nursing (operating room, recovery and day surgery) or trauma and critical care nursing (emergency nursing, coronary care and intensive care nursing). The Graduate Certificate consists of 4 units of study and provides beginning level knowledge of acute care nursing. The Graduate Diploma consists of a further 4 units of study (for those with the Graduate Certificate) or 8 units for students with no previous qualifications in these specialty areas. These courses address the nursing roles associated with these complex, technical acute care settings.

The aim of these courses is to enable the graduate to work effectively in the acute care nursing environment and promote the students’ understanding of the acute clinical contexts in which they work as well as their legal and ethical responsibilities.  Additionally the course will develop the students’ skills of critical analysis.

Postgraduate nursing courses at UNE

Postgraduate nursing courses at UNE build on long-standing and highly-regarded expertise in the delivery of the undergraduate nursing courses. All postgraduate courses are offered by distance education and there are a number of Graduate Certificates, Graduate Diplomas and Masters courses that provide students with clinically relevant expertise in a number of specialty areas.

These are the courses currently offered:
Graduate Certificate in Acute Care Nursing (Trauma & Critical Care)
Graduate Certificate in Acute Care Nursing (Perioperative)
Graduate Certificate in Mental Health Nursing
Graduate Diploma in Acute Care Nursing (Perioperative) to be offered from July 2008
Graduate Diploma in Acute Care Nursing (Trauma & Critical Care) to be offered from July 2008
Master of Nursing
Master of Nursing (Advanced Clinical Education)
Master of Nursing (Advanced Clinical Nursing)
Master of Nursing (Cardiac Care)
Master of Nursing (Community Health Nursing)
Master of Nursing (Dementia Care)
Master of Nursing (Palliative Nursing)
Master of Nursing (Rural Health)
Master of Nursing (Women’s Health)
Master of Nursing (Honours)
Doctor of Philosophy
These post-graduate awards prepare RNs for specialty practice in a variety of health care settings.

Careers

Qualified nurses have a wide variety of career options and pathways.
Enrolled or Registered Nurses can readily gain employment in the public or the private healthcare sectors and work in hospitals, community health centres and clinics in rural, regional and metropolitan settings.
Nurses are also employed in doctors’ surgeries, schools, government departments, by insurance companies, cruise lines and large corporations.
Nurses have the options of many different work modes. For example, they can work full-time, part-time or flexible hours; they can work casually or on short-term contracts for nursing agencies. Australian trained nurses are sought after in many countries, including the UK, US, South Africa, Canada and Saudi Arabia, so there are lots of travel options.
Nursing careers are available in clinical settings, or in nursing management, nursing research or education.

Partnerships, Networks & Industry

The following websites will provide further information about remuneration rates, job opportunities and career options.

NSW Nurses Association: http://www.nswnurses.asn.au/
NSW Health Department : http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/jobs/index.html
Nursing & Midwifery office: http://www.health.nsw.gov.au/nursing/
Nursing job vacancies: http://www.healthstaffrecruitment.com.au/jobs.php
Nurses & Midwives Board of NSW: http://www.nmb.nsw.gov.au/

RCNA - Launch to NurseInfo: http://www.NurseInfo.com.au/ 

Clinical Information

Clinical experience at UNE forms a major part of your study as an undergraduate student. The amount and quality of clinical experience that the UNE nursing students undertake means that UNE nursing graduates are well prepared to enter the nursing workforce and are highly sought after by health service employers.

Students in the full-time three (3) year Bachelor of Nursing are required to successfully complete 35 weeks of clinical placement experience in health services (hospitals and community health settings) located in rural, remote, regional and metropolitan areas. Students in the Advanced Diploma in Nursing complete 19 weeks of clinical practice over two years.
UNE arranges clinical placements through 2 Clinical Schools (one located in Armidale, the other in Tamworth) and there are three Clinical Coordinators who are responsible for organising, monitoring and maintaining the clinical component of the UNE undergraduate nursing courses. Clinical placements at UNE are organised as blocks of 2, 3 and 4 weeks, because we believe that block placements allow students to engage in meaningful clinical practice and become part of the health service interdisciplinary team.

Students will have the opportunity to have clinical experience in a variety of healthcare settings, such as acute care hospitals throughout New South Wales. In their third year, Bachelor of Nursing students are also able to choose clinical electives that will allow them to experience Maternity and Paediatric Nursing, or Accident and Emergency, Intensive Care and Operating Room Nursing.

Below are some things you should know and requirements you must meet before you can go on clinical placement. More detailed instruction on these requirements can be found in the Clinical Praxis Student Information Booklet that will be handed out during Orientation Week.

• NSW Health Policy requires all nursing students to comply with state vaccination requirements.
• NSW Health Department requires that all nursing students have a Criminal Record Check, and sign a declaration that they have no criminal convictions that involve children prior to attending the first clinical placement.
• Students should be ‘fit’ for clinical practice. That is, if you have a disability or condition that you think will limit your ability to fully participate in clinical practice experience, you will need to disclose this information to one of the UNE Clinical Coordinators. Their contact details are provided under the ‘Contact Us’ heading in the menu bar on the left.
• Students must purchase the UNE clinical uniform and a Clinical Identification badge before going on clinical placement.
• First Aid certificate
  

Staff Contacts

 

 

 

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